Paper-feeding machine



w 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. DUMMER. PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 9, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. E DUMMER PAPER FEEDING MACHINE.

4 Patented Feb. 9,1897.

WITNESSES INVENTUP W M I mm M UNITED STATES PATENT Ornron.

EDWARD DUMMER, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DUMMER PAPERFEEDER COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

PAPER-FEEDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,776, dated February9, 1897. Application filed March 13, 1894. SerialNo. 503,527. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, EDWARD DUMMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newton, (Auburndale,) county of Middlesex, and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPaper-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The first part of my invention relates to means for allowing one sheetto lap over another sheet between the mechanism for separating thesheets individually from a pile of sheets and the place where they areto be seized or operated upon, as in printing, folding, or othermachines.

The second part of my invention relates to devices for stoppingthefeeder, printing, folding, or other machine when the separator or otherpart of the mechanism fails to seize or carry a sheet as required.

The third part of my invention relates to means for detecting andindicating the passage of more than the desired number of sheets anddevices for stopping the feeder, printing, folding, or other machinewhen two or more sheets are seized or carried inthe place of one sheetas desired.

The invention consists in the devices and the combinations of deviceswhich coact to attain the several objects, as hereinafter set forth, andspecifically pointed outin the claims.

In the drawings, (two sheets,) Figure l isa plan, and Fig. 2 is a sideview, of so much of paper -feeder and shipping mechanism as serves toillustrate my invention. Fig. 3 is an end view of the shippingmechanism.

' Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show details drawn on ala-rger of the board A, androllers or balls (I freely maintained in holders 6 therefor, which areadjustable by means of screws on nuts f through the length of astationary bar B, and press on the belt a or sheet thereon. This bar issupported by transverse rods g, which are held at their ends by fixedstands h.

Owing to a stopping of a sheet for a time, as in a printing-machine atthe gages, (shown at 2 in Figs. 1, 2, and 6,) and just before thegrippers seize the sheet, and owing to the size of sheets, the usuallength of a feed-board, and the desirability of keeping the followingone or more sheets in motion, it may be necessary to have the sheet(indicated at t' in Fig. 4) following the one to remain at rest overlapthe latter, (indicated atj in Fig. 4.) For this purpose I locate atransverse strip 0, which being inclined and having one edge below thesurface of the board A is secured in position in any suitable manner,preferably by being fastened to a rod D, which is supported at the outerends by stands E and F. These stands are adjustable on the board A bymeans of screws Z. Grooves m are made in the board, so that the strip (Jmay be located according to the size of the sheets. The sheets beingcarried down the board A in the direction indicated,,a ball beinglocated at a sufficient distance above and another at a sufficientdistance below the strip 0, the lower sheet after having been carriedover this strip will drop down as to its upper edge onto the board, andthe following sheet will be caused to overlap the former sheet while atrest as much ,as may be required.

For the purpose of attaining the second and third objects of myinvention I pivot the rod D in the stands E and F, preferably onknifeedges, as shown. On one end of the rod D is an arm n. The weight ofthe strip 0 is counterbalanced, preferably, by means of a spring 0,secured at one end to the arm n and at the other end to a projection 19on the stand E. The tension of this springis made adjustable by means ofa screw and nut r, so that the strip 0 will just touch the bar B, butnot with pressure sufficient to prevent a sheet being carried by thebelt and ball or balls between the strip 0 and bar B. If by any chancetwo or more sheets are carried over the strip 0, their weight beinggreater than that of one sheet they will so swing the strip O, and hencerock the rod D, that the arm n will meet a stop 8.

The immediate device for stopping the machine consists of a lever G,pivoted to a stand H at t, having pivoted thereon a cam-wheel I at u.The stand Il may be fastened to the floor or foundation for the machine,and is located so that the face of the cam-wheel I may come in contactwith the face of a pulley J on a shaft K of the machine, preferably thedriving-shaft, on which are the usual fast pulley L and a loose pulley Mfor a belt N. There is a flange O on the cam-wheel I to provide aprojection r, with which may engage a pawl P, pivoted at w. Removal ofthe pawl Pf rom engagement with the projection o is caused by anelectromagnet Q. Under the longer arm of the lever G is a stop R, whichis adjustable. The outer end of this arm is connected with an arm S,secured to the ordinary shipping-lever T by a flexible connection or rodU. This rod may slide in an openin g therefor in the end of the lever G,and has thereon an adjustable boss or nut V, between which and the leverthere is a spring IV, actiug as a buffer to prevent undue strain. Thestand H is so placed that when the pawl Pis in engagement with theprojection v the camwheel I will not be in actual engagement with thepulley J. On releasing the pawl the camwheel will swing a slightdistance, owing to its greater weight on one side, (in the directionindicated by the arrow,) so as to come in contact with the pulley J.This pulley, being in revolution, (in the direction of the arrow shown,)will complete a revolution of the camwheel, which, owing to itseccentricity, will cause the lever G, and hence the lever T, to swingand ship the belt N from the fast to the loose pulley. On completion ofa revolution by the cam-wheel it will be stopped by the pawl P and heldthereby for another action, and the longer arm of the lever G will droponto the stop It and allow free movement of the lever T for shipping thebelt by hand to again start the machine.

On some moving part of the machine, as, for instance, the gear X, is ametallic piece a, which will be carried into contact with a metallicpiece :1 while a sheet should be between the strip 0 and bar B, thepieces x and 1 forming an electric-circuitcloser.

The electric connections are as follows: From one pole of a generator ofelectricity y a line extends to one end of the coil of the magnet Q andfrom the other end of said coil sheet between the strip 0 and bar B atthe required time, (being while the pieces a; and y are in contact,) theelectric circuit will be closed by means of the bar B and strip 0,(these parts forming the two members of a cireuit-closer,) and the pawlP will be disengaged from the projection o. Thereupon the cam-wheel Iwill swing into contact with the pulley J and be caused to revolve, sothat by means of the levers G and T the belt will be shipped and themachine stopped. If there are two or more sheets on the strip 0 at thetime when there should be but one, (being while the pieces 0: and y arein contact,) the weight of these sheets being sufficiently greater thanthe weight of one sheet, the arm a will be brought into contact with thestop 5 (these parts constituting the members of a circuit-closer) andthe electric circuit will be closed, so that the stopping device willact as explained above.

In adapting my invention to a papewfeeder (as shown or differentlyconstructed in other respects from that described) in which the objectsdesired to be accomplished may be all or only a certain part of thoseattained by the invention it will appear as follows: If it is onlyrequired that each sheet should overlap in its progress the previouslycarried sheet, then the strip 0 may be fixed in the position set forthby any means that would be regarded as suitable by a skilled mechanic.By having the strip 0 extend through the whole or considerable part ofthe width of the sheet not only will the sheet move evenly thereover,but (the strip being pivoted) a sufficient part of the sheets will bebrought to bear thereon by gravity so as to swing the same when ofgreater than the predetermined weight.

It is well known that two or more sheets may stick together and havetheir edges in line so closely that the eye will not perceive that thereare two or more sheets passing in the place of one. Since the weight ofseveral sheets will cause the pivoted strip 0 to move, and the size andmotion of the strip are considerable, this movement might be seen inseason to stop the machine by hand. Furthermore, the arm being of anyrequired length would be a simple device to make the movement of thestrip or supplementary support more apparent. Moreover, other andwell-known stopping devices might be released or set into action by themoving strip 0 by simple means within the knowledge of an ordinarymechanic, the difficult operation, which consists in setting in motion adevice when two or more sheets are passing in the place of one, havingbeen accomplished. There being so many known devices by which the makingand breaking of an electric circuit will set into action a visual or anaudible signal or a releasing device for stopping mechanism that part ofmy invention which provides for affecting an electric circuit, asrequired, on the passage of more than the glesired number of sheetsforms a complete device applicable by ordinary mechanical skill to theknown devices referred to.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a paper-feeder the combination of afeed-board, a carrier to move sheets individually on said board, a stopor gages to be met by the front edge of each sheet, and a strip overwhich the sheets pass extending transversely across said board, saidstrip being pivoted whereby it may swing freely, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination with a carrier for'sheets of paper embodying a belt,rollers opposite said belt and means for propelling said belt, of a stopor gages to be met by each sheet and an inclined strip locatedtransversely with reference to said belt so that each sheet will becaused to pass over said strip and be raised thereby so as to lap overthe sheet previously carried and at rest, substantially as specified.

3. In a paper-feeder the combination of a feed-board, a belt caused topass lengthwise of said board, rollers maintained above said belt, astop or gages to be met by each sheet, and a transverse strip above saidboard and inclined with reference thereto, substantially as specified.

at. In a paper-feeder the combination of a feed-board, a carrier topropel a sheet on said board, an electric circuit and magnet therein,two members of a closer for said circuit so located on said board in thepath of the sheet that the sheet will be carried between said members,two members of another closer in the same circuit brought into contactintermittently, stopping mechanism, and a releasing device for saidmechanism operated by said magnet, substantially as set forth.

5. In a paper-feeder the combination of a feed-board, a belt propelledlengthwise of said board, rollers opposite said belt, a bar to retainsaid rollers in position, a transverse, pivoted strip inclined withreference to said board, an electric circuit, a magnet in said circuit,stopping mechanism, a releasing device for said mechanism and operatedby said magnet, said bar and strip so connected with said circuit as toform a closer therefor, substantially as specified.

6. In a paper-feeder the combination of a carrier for a sheet of paper,an electric circuit, an inclined strip located in the path of said sheetand transversely with reference thereto, a bar or contact-piece betweenwhich and said strip said sheet should pass and-with which said stripwill be in contact whenthere is no sheet therebetween, said bar orcontactpiece and strip forming the two members of a closer in saidcircuit, another closer in said circuit the members of which are broughtinto contact intermittently, a magnet in said circuit, stoppingmechanismfor the feeder, and a releasing device for said stopping mechanismoperated by said magnet, substantially as specified.

7 In a paper-feeder the combination with stopping mechanism and areleasing device therefor, of a main support and a transverse that itwill sustain a predetermined Weight,

substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of a pulley on a drivingshaft of a machine, a leverpivoted on a stationary stand, a cam-Wheel pivoted on said lever to rideon said pulley, and stopping mechanism for the machine connected withsaid lever, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of apulleyon a drivingshaft, a lever pivoted on astationary stand, a

cam-Wheel pivoted on said lever to ride on said pulley, and abelt-shipping lever connected with the lever carrying said cam-wheel,substantially as specified.

10. The combination of a pulley on a driving-shaft of a machine, alever, a stand to which the lever is pivoted, a cam-wheel pivoted onsaid lever to ride on said pulley, an electromagnet, a pawl operated bymeans of said magnet and to engage with said wheel, and shippingmechanism of said machine connectedwith said lever to be moved thereby,substantially as specified.

11. In a paper-feeder the combination with an electric circuit and acloser therefor operated by means of a sheet of paper, and mechanism forcarrying the sheet, of a pulley on a driving-shaft, a cam-wheel inposition to be acted on by said pulley, a lever on which said cam-wheelis pivoted, an electromagnet in said circuit, a pawl to engage with saidcamwheel and in position to be operated by said magnet, and shippingmechanism adj ustably connected with said lever to be operated thereby,substantially as set forth.

12. The combination of a driving-shaft, a pulley on said shaft, apivoted lever, a camwheel on said lever to engage with said pulley,shipping mechanism of a machine, and an adjustable connection betweensaid lever and said shipping mechanism, substantially as set forth.

13. In a paper-feeder and in combination with the carrier thereof forthe separated sheets a device for detecting the passage of more than onesheet at a time through a-certain part of the path of the sheets, whichdevice consists in a transverse strip or support for the paper locatedin said path, said strip or support being movable substantiallyvertically and counterbalancedso that a certain weight on said strip orsupport will not 'move the same but a greater weight on said strip orsupport will move the same, substantially as specified.

14. In a paper-feeder and in combination with the carrier thereof forthe separated sheets a device for detecting the passage of more than onesheet at a time through a certain part of the path of the sheets, whichde' vice consists in a strip or support for the paper located in saidpath, pivoted to move vertically and counterbalanced, the counterbalancebeing adjustable, so that any predetermined weight on said strip orsupport will not swing the same, but a greater weight on said strip orsupport will swing the same, substantially as specified.

15. In a paper-feeder and in combination with the carrier thereof forthe separated sheets an electric circuit, a closer for the same having amember connected with it to be operated by a vertically-movable strip orsupport for the paper located in the path of the paper andcounterbalanced so as to remain stationary when a certain Weight isthereon, but be moved by a greater weight thereon, substantially as setforth.

16. In a paper-feeder and in combination with the carrier thereof forthe separated sheets, an electric circuit and a closer for the samehaving a member connected with a pivoted and adj ustably-counterbalancedstrip or support for the paper located in the path of the paper, wherebysaid strip orsupport will remain stationary when there is anypredetermined weight thereon, but will swing substantially verticallyand thus operate said closer when there is a greater weight thereon,substantially as set forth.

17. In a sheet-feeding apparatus fora printing or other machine, anelectric circuit, a circuit-closing device at one point in the circuitlying in the path of the sheet to be fed and designed to he held open bythe passage of the sheet, a circuit-closing device at another point inthe circuit designed to be intermittently opened and closed, thearrangement being such that if the sheet is properly fed one of thecircuit-closers will be open when the other is closed, and meansoperated by said circuit for controlling the operation of the machine,substantially as setforth.

EDW'ARD DUMMER.

Vitn esses:

EDWARD WYMAN, FRED W. MCARDLE.

